This invention relates to motorcycle stands and in particular to a powered retractable motorcycle stand with safety and anti-theft mechanisms.
Stands for motorcycles are well know and are manually operated by the rider having to displace the weight of the motorcycle on the stand by physical exertion. For small motorcycles or for large riders this is a relatively easy task. However, for very large road cruising motorcycles a great deal of strength is required to push the motorcycle onto the kick stand. For riders who are smaller or tired from a long ride the task is difficult and the motorcycle may fall while the rider attempts to push it onto the kick stand. There have been a number of attempts to overcome this problem. One proposed solution is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,365 Motorcycle Lift Stand and Actuator issued to Yaple on Oct. 25, 1994. Yaple discloses a powered stand having powered units on each side of the motorcycle. Drive units on each side drive a linear actuator comprising rotary to linear motion conversion mechanisms. Each linear actuator drives a lower stand unit that is pivotally mounted and moves from a ground contact position to a retracted position. The Yaple invention has a number of disadvantages. Two units must be installed on each motorcycle to address leaning on the left side or the right side of the motorcycle. The overall device is very complex mechanically using telescoping linear actuators and therefore expensive to manufacture and keep in good repair. The device does not hide on the chassis of the motorcycle and therefore tends to detract from the pleasing lines of the machine. Therefore there is a continued need for a simple and inexpensive powered motorcycle stand that can be mounted unobtrusively to a motorcycle while providing the lift and balance capabilities needed in a motorcycle stand.